Appearances

The first mention of a King of Hyrule comes in the backstory for The Adventure of Link, where it is explained that he once possessed all three pieces of the Triforce. This great King, whose tomb is a landmark in the game, concealed the Triforce of Courage in the Great Palace and established the challenges that the future hero would need to complete in order to reclaim the lost Triforce. His daughter, Princess Zelda, lies in an enchanted sleep for many years following his death, and can only be awakened by the hero who recovers the Triforce of Courage.

An unnamed King of Hyrule, he is seen only during the closing credits montage. Another unnamed king is said to have commanded the Seven Wise Men to place a seal on the Dark World, though this king is never seen.

The King of Hyrule is often mentioned in the game. When Link has sought out Princess Zelda in the Castle Courtyard, the two spy on Ganondorf's meeting with the King of Hyrule. The royal guard is visible and Ganondorf is seen kneeling before the king; however, the small window they are peering through obscures their vision and the king cannot be spotted. It is implied (much more heavily in the manga) that the King dies around the time of the Great Cataclysm in the middle of the game.

The Wind Waker marks the first time a King of Hyrule given a specific name. He is a major character in the game and Link's companion throughout his adventure, the King of Red Lions, is revealed to be king Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule.

Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule may be a spiritual being like the Sages, as he is still in existence long after Hyrule was flooded, and he can teleport around the area at will. At the end of the game before the final battle in Hyrule, when Ganon is about to touch the now complete Triforce, The King quickly appears just in time to touch it instead. He wishes for Hyrule to be washed beneath the waves for good, and for Link and Princess Zelda to have a future, driving Ganon insane, and causing him to lash out at Link and the princess. Link finally defeats Ganondorf. In Hyrule's final moments, and despite many pleas from the Princess, Daphnes stays with the kingdom as it is flooded.

Both the ruling king of Hyrule, King Daltus, and a ghost of one of his ancestors, King Gustaf, appear in this game. King Daltus is portrayed as a kind king who is good to his people until he is captured and replaced by Vaati halfway through the game. The people then see him as a cruel figure who is greedy and forces the soldiers of Hyrule to find the mystical Light Force. King Gustaf appears twice. He first appears after completing the Temple of Droplets, in which he tells Link to visit his tomb. The second appearance is within his tomb where he gives Link a Kinstone piece necessary to climb Veil Falls.